[Tagging] Feature Proposal - RFC - value 'basic_network' - Tagging with a simultaneous basic network, node network and/or route recommendation

[stevea]

This is getting almost crazy.  Look:

1) Use (bicycle, hiking) infrastructure tagging on (bicycle, hiking) infrastructure.

2) Use route=* tagging where there is a signed route (even if it is unnamed, and if so, tag noname=yes).

3) Use cycle_network=* tagging with sane, planned, sensible values that have achieved consensus across a country (or countries, or a region, however "region" is defined and used "there").

1), 2), 3).  Do those.  It's what OSM does.  I know this because I've done this at vast national level and spoken about it at national OSM conferences and we achieved the consensus.  If that's broken in your part of the world, well, fix it.  That might sound like "tough love" (it isn't), but if something is broken, fix it.  Don't hide it with a fig leaf of complexity that turns into lengthy, almost painful exhortations here which even state outright "I'm not sure if my idea is the best solution."

Again: this 'basic_network' seems like a whacky branch of mathematics being invented when "we already know math."  If there is such a thing (and I'm not sure there is, but I keep an open mind), model it in OSM with infrastructure tagging (FIRST, so everybody both agrees and understands it — this is a PROVEN TO WORK approach I/we have leveraged in this context), THEN, MAYBE some sort of route(s) might be superimposed upon it/them, but I'm not sure that is necessary.  But if you do, use cycle_network=* tagging on it, or them (plural), and...done!

If you haven't done these relatively simple, documented, used for many, many years already and widely supported by renderers and routers (and understood by humans using common sense), then go back and fix your tagging so you HAVE done these relatively simply, documented uses.  Please, for the love of $YOUR_PREFERRED_DEITY, do not invent something as horrific as this beast called 'basic_network."  It feels hostile and alienating to the rest of OSM and the relatively good, careful, conscientious, consensus-based bicycle tagging we've done in the rest of the world.

This 'basic_network' has yet to be explained to the satisfaction and understanding even to other Europeans very familiar with OSM bicycle tagging, and that says a lot:  perhaps all I need to hear right there.  (Yet, I keep an open mind...but I can see this door beginning to close).